Red Flag Warning Issued for Columbia Basin

By Terry Murry on Monday, June 15th, 2026 in Columbia Basin News Columbia Basin Top Stories

The National Weather Service has upgraded the fire weather watch to a red flag warning:

The National Weather Service in Pendleton has issued a Red FlagWarning for wind and low relative humidity, which is in effectfrom 10 AM to 11 PM PDT Tuesday. The Fire Weather Watch is nolonger in effect.* AFFECTED AREA…Fire Weather Zones 691 Lower Columbia Basin ofOregon and 691 Lower Columbia Basin of Washington.* TIMING…From 10 AM to 11 PM PDT Tuesday.* WINDS…West 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 45 mph.* RELATIVE HUMIDITY…As low as 19 percent.* IMPACTS…Any fire that develops will catch and spreadquickly. Outdoor burning is not recommended.

A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditionsare either occurring now, or will shortly. A combination ofstrong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures cancontribute to extreme fire behavior

PENDLETON – The National Weather Service in Pendleton has issued a fire weather watch for the lower Columbia Basin of Oregon and Washington. It goes into effect Tuesday morning and ends Tuesday evening.

High wind and low relative humidity prompted the watch. Winds from the west will average about 20 to 30 miles per hour with gusts up to 45 mph. The relative humidity could drop as low as 19 percent.

Those conditions mean that a spark can quickly catch and spread. Outdoor burning, which has already been banned in many areas, is not recommended.

A fire weather watch means that critical fire weather conditions are forecast to occur. Listen for later forecasts, check the National Weather Service, and be alert for possible red flag warnings.

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